Submerged bridge



' 1,620,716 Ma l ch l5 1927., w. BLANCHARD SUBMERGED BRIDGE Filed A ril :50, 1925' s Sheds-Sheet 2 illiamfilanofiar mpewto'a witncooco I I I (W g 72 Q Q 7 1 620,716 March 15 1927 w BLANCHARD SUBMERGED BRIDGE Filed April 30, 1925 3 r-Sheet ATTORNEY i bridge, especially Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

WILLIAM BLANCHARD, OF HOUSTON,

SUBMERGED "BRIDGE.

Application flied Afpril 30, 1925. Serial No. 27,014.

This invention relates to a submerged designed for crossing wide streams,or other bodies of water, where the soil formation is such as to make it very diflicult tosecure apermanent foundation. Typical examples of .such conditions .are found in the lower part of .the Mississippi basin.

The present invention has been devised as an improvement over the construction shown in ,my former Patent No. 9at7,791, issued February-22, 1910, and its principal object is to provide improved means for supporting the intermediate spans of the bridge, and improved. means for anchoring the same, so that they will be more stable ,a-ndydependable, especially during the rapid flow of the river occasioned by high water. i

The invention consists :turther in various details of construction, the advantages of which will be more particularly explained in connection with the accompanying-drawings, illustrating one embodiment of ,the invention.

In the drawings 2 .Figure lvis aiside elevation of the invention with the adjoining .embankrnents and river bed shown'in section.

Figure 2 is a plan view oi the invention.

Figure 3 is a transverse section thereof takensubstantially onthe line 3-8 of Figure 1.

Figure .4 .ie a longitudinal ,sectionthrough one of the intermediate foundations, and showingalso a portion of the viaduct and one ofthe end piers.

In its present e bodi nent -the invention is-shown in connection with a bridge having a .central section 5, which is Pot such length as tolextendapproximately trom one bank oft-he river to the other, and the extremities otthiscentral sectionare united withshore sections 6,twhich are slightlyinclined upwardly from the ,river bank to emerge upon the surface of the land at points ,more or :less remote from the vriver, the river being shown in the presentinstance asiconfined i-between levees ,7. Close to-each bank of the riveris apierB-for supporting the end of the central section '5. iT-his pier may be readily, constructed 1 by i the use of a cofierdam extending outwardly from the doankv of the river, :the section '5 being built onthe edge not the ;bank ,and subsequently launched, glike (a ,boat, and

floated into place, removable bulk heads being provided in the ,ends of the SQQtion, which may beopened to admit water when the section has been floated into proper position. The section 5 is of greater length than the distance between the two piers ,8, so that it projects beyond .the same, and is united to the respective shore sections 6.,at the dotted lines 9, .llligure l. The end portions of the section 5 are formedAiritl11 sa ldles ,10, which rest on the piers 8.

The piers 8 are constructed ,aftenthecof- I fer-dams are built, and each pier is preterably constructed in the manner shown in the above mentioned patent. That .is,",.eacli pier is formed of anumberotliollowmetallic cylinders 11, which ,are driven into i the river bottom .to the desired depth andthe mud or earth is then removed from thelinterior of the cylinders and the latter .filled with concrete. These cylindersare ,together in. any suitable manner, and concrete is moldedaround themto form piersotany desired dimensions. Embedded in the concrete in the upper ends of the cylinders ,are tie rods 12, having anchoring ,devices 13, and ,these tie .rods extend upwardly through the xwall oi the section ,5, which is therehy secured to the pier. The ,piersnot only hold the bridge against lateral. displacement, ,but serve as anchoring .means ,to hold down the bridge against any tendency to .iise-hy reason of its buoyancy. In constructing the land sections 6 otthe-bridge, ,the levees, or

banks or he llVQl', are excavated ,behind the cofi'erdam, and after a foundation has been laid, consistlng of piles 'l tthat support a bed of concrete 15, the sections ,6 jot the bridgeiare built up. V V'hen theseflw'o sections are completed, andthe section 5 .,as-

sembled between them, extremities (of i the sectionsare united at the ,dotted ,lines 9. A ifterbeing thus united, the shore of the bridge lane enveloped in. a casing of concrete 16 which extends laterally both ,up and down the stream .andsh-oreward ;from the piers 8, and provides apracti-cally indestructible anchoring .nieans torthe ,ends of, the bridge. The, casing 16 has oppositely sloping top surfaces and .opposltely curved sides, so as;to form little obstruction to the flow of water.

constructed the leveesor banksof the river are restored, and, if ,desired, a retaining wall 17, may be built on the landiside of each After this casing has been leve 'rfo s cu in letste se u ity- Each section of the bridge is constructed in the form of a metal tube, composed of plates 18 riveted together about a skeleton framework, consisting of arcuate ribs 19. A vertically disposed bulk head 20 extends longitudinally of the bridge and centrally there of for providing separate passageways for trains or other vehicles, the bulk head having man holes 21, sothat track hands can conveniently pass fromone side to the other without having to go to the terminals of the bridge. The bulk head projects downwardly belowthe tubular viaduct formed by the plates 18, and constitutes a keel extending the full length of the bridge, and braced by arcuate plates 22, as shown in Figure 3. After the viaduct has been constructed, the same is covered with a protective coating 23 of concrete, which entirely houses the metal parts of the structure and protects the same from corrosion. A roadbed 24 of concrete or other suitable material is laid inside of the tubular viaduct.

The construction of the viaduct and the approaches is substantially similar to the construction disclosed in my former patent. The means for supporting the intermediate portions of the bridge, however, embody entirely different features, involving new principles of bridge construction. Each of these intermediate foundations comprises a comparatively large barge or scow 25, made of reinforced concrete forming a single closed compartment which is substantially watertight. The barge is formed centrally with an upwardly extending hollow column 26, the interior of which forms a well, which extends entirely through the barge. A structural steel frame or superstructure 27 is secured to the barge and surrounds the column 26 forming a support for the saddle 28, which is secured to the bridge section 5 where it is desired to provide an intermediate support therefor. A metallic cylinder 29 is mounted within the tower 26, and is provided with an outwardly extending base 30, adapted to engage the underside of the barge 25, and to be held against the same by the pressure of the water while the structure is being floated into position.

After the barge and tower have been constructed on shore, they are launched into the water and floated into proper position. The seacocks of the barge are then opened, and the foundation sinks to the bottom of the river. The bridge section 5 is provided, in

its bottom, with tubes 81, which may be closed.

while the barge is being floated into position, and which may then be opened to permit the cylinders 29 to be filled with ballast. The barge 25 is of large dimensions, not less than 150 feet long and 100 feet wide, so that it will lie upon the river bed without settling. The central cylinder 29, after being filled with ballast will gradually settle downwardthe usual manner. There is very little hazard or risk in the construction of a bridge in this manner. It is pro-posed to locate it deep enough so as not to interfere with navigation. The cost of maintenance is also very small. Furthermore, since the main section of the bridge and the intermediate foundations for supporting it can be built upon the land and launched and floated into place, it is obvious that less labor and time are required in its construction than in constructing aerial bridges.

While I have shown and described what is considered, at the present time, the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that various modifications may be made therein without any material departure from the salient features thereof. It is my intention, therefore, to include all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular section enclosing a roadbed, a submerged barge resting on the bottom of the waterway, a superstructure extending upwardly from the bargeand forming an intermediate support for said section, and a vertically disposed cylinder within said superstructure and extending through the barge and adapted to contain ballast, the base of said cylinder being extended laterally beneath the bottom of the barge.

2. In a submerged bridge. the combination of a tubular section enclosing a road-bed, a submerged barge resting on the bottom of the waterway, t1, SllpGl'St'lllC-tlll'fi secured to and extending upwardly from the barge and forming an intermediate support for said section, and a vertically disposed cylinder located centrally of said superstructure and extending substantially from top to bottom thereof and through the bottom of the barge and provided with a laterally extended base engageable with the bottom of the barge, said cylinder being adapted to contain ballast and being slidable downwardly through the barge to form an anchor therefor.

3. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular section enclosing a road-bed, a submerged barge resting on the bottom of the waterway, a superstructure extending upwardly from the barge and forming an intermediate support for said section, a cylinder disposed vertically within said superstructure and extending through said barge, said cylinder being adapted to contain ballast, the base of said cylinder being extended laterally beneath the bottom of the barge and a passageway leading from the interior of said tubular section to the interior of the cylinder for introducing ballast into said cylinder.

4. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular section enclosing a road-bed, a submerged barge resting on the bottom of the waterway, a superstructure extending upwardly from the barge and forming an intermediate support for said section, a cylinder disposed vertically within the superstructure and extending through the bottom of the barge, the base of said cylinder being extended laterally beneath the bottom of the barge, said cylinder being slidable downwardly to form an anchor for the barge, and a passageway leading from the interior of said tubular section to the interior oi the cylinder for introducing ballast into the interior of said cylinder.

5. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular section enclosing a road-bed, a submerged barge formed of reinforced concrete and resting on the bottom of the water'- way, a skeleton superstructure secured to and extending upwardly from the support and forming an intermediate support for said section, said barge having a hollow column integral therewithv and extending upwardly within the superstructure and also extending downwardly through the barge to form a well, and a cylinder within the well adapted to contain ballast and having an extended base engageable with the bottom of the barge.

6. In a submerged bridge, the combination oi? a tubular section enclosing a road-bed, a submerged barge resting on the bottom of the waterway, a superstructure extending upwardly from the barge and forming an intermediate support for said section, said barge having a well formed cent-rally there of, the wall of said well extending upwardly within the superstructure, and a cylinder within the well adapted to contain ballast and having an extended base engageable with the bottom of the barge, said cylinder being slidable downwardly under the weight of the ballast to form an anchor for the barge.

7. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular viaduct section, a submerged barge of reinforced concrete resting on the bottom of the waterway, a superstructure secured to and extending upwardly from the barge and forming an intermediate support for said section, said barge having a well formed centrally therethrough, the wall of said well extending upwardly within the superstructure, a cylinder within the well and having an extended base engageable with the bottom of the barge, and a passageway leading from the interior of the viaduct to the interior of the cylinder for intro ducing ballast into said cylinder.

8. In a submerged barge, the combination of a tubular viaduct, a submerged barge resting on the bottom of the waterway, a superstructure secured to and extending upwardly from the barge and forming an. inter mediate support for said via-duct, said barge having a well formed centrally therethrough, the wall of said well extending upwardly within the superstructure, a cylinder within the well and having an extended base engageable with the bottom of the barge, said cylinder being slidable downwardly to form an anchor for the'barge, and a passageway leading from the interior of the viaduct to the interior of the cylinder for introducing ballast into said cylinder.

9. A construction for supporting the inter mediate portion of a submerged bridge, said construction comprising a barge with a superstructure secured to and extending up wardly therefrom, said barge having a substantially watertight compartment sufficiently large so that it may be floated and subsequently sunk in position for said structure to support the bridge, and a cylinder extending vertically through the barge and substantially to the top of said superstructure and adapted to receive ballast, said cylinder having an extended base engageable with the bottom of the barge while the barge and cylinder are being placed in position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto attixed my signature.

WILLIAM BLANCHABD. 

